Magic Lantern Films takes its name from the old Magic Lantern Theater, now called the Isla Vista Theater. In the 1970s, the Magic Lantern was an art house that screened classic, independent and foreign films.

The new Magic Lantern picks up where the old one left off by screening critically acclaimed films as well as cult classics. The diverse selection of films will appeal to a variety of audience tastes.

Films screen every Monday night and Thursday night at 8pm during the school year, and every Friday night at 8pm during the summer! Check our schedule for the date and location. Free for UCSB students/$6 for general admission.

COMING SOON

AVATAR: FIRE & ASH

IV Theater
Monday March 30th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: JAMES CAMERON
2025 / 3 HR 17 MIN

Jake and Neytiri's family grapples with grief, encountering a new, aggressive Na'vi tribe, the Ash People, who are led by the fiery Varang, as the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.
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MARTY SUPREME

IV Theater
Thursday April 2nd

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: JOSH SAFDIE
2025 / 2 HR 29 MIN

Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.
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IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU

TD-W 1701
Monday April 6th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: MARY BRONSTEIN
2025 / 1 HR 53 MIN

While trying to manage her own life and career, a woman on the verge of a breakdown must cope with her daughter's illness, an absent husband, a missing person, and an unusual relationship with her therapist.
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PRIMATE

IV Theater
Thursday April 9th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: JOHANNES ROBERTS
2025 / 1 HR 32 MIN

A group of friends' tropical vacation turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival.
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SENTIMENTAL VALUE

TD-W 1701
Monday April 13th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: JOACHIM TRIER
2025 / 2 HR 13 MIN

An intimate exploration of family, memories, and the reconciliatory power of art.
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ISLANDS

IV Theater
Thursday April 16th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: JAN-OLE GERSTER
2025 / 2 HR 3 MIN

Tom, a tennis pro, washed up on a holiday island. Now he's the coach at a hotel resort, hitting countless balls over the net to tourists. When he crosses paths with a particular tourist family, it seems he's found an escape of his own.
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SEND HELP

TD-W 1701
Monday April 20th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: SAM RAIMI
2026 / 1 HR 53 MIN

When an employee and her insufferable boss become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash, they must overcome past grievances and work together to make it out alive.
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WUTHERING HEIGHTS

IV Theater
Thursday April 23rd

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: EMERALD FENNELL
2026 / 2 HR 16 MIN

A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.
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SECRET AGENT

TD-W 1701
Monday April 27th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: KLEBER MENDONÇA FILHO
2025 / 2 HR 40 MIN

In 1977, a technology expert flees from a mysterious past and returns to his hometown of Recife in search of peace. He soon realizes that the city is far from being the refuge he seeks.
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SCREAM 7

IV Theater
Thursday April 30th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: KEVIN WILLIAMSON
2026 / 1 HR 54 MIN

When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the town where Sidney Prescott has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target.
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MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO

TD-W 1701
Monday May 4th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: HAYAO MIYAZAKI
1988 / 1 HR 26 MIN

When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby.
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THE BRIDE!

IV Theater
Thursday May 7th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL
2026 / 2 HR 6 MIN

In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help create a companion. They give life to a murdered woman as the Bride, sparking romance, police interest, and radical social change.
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PROJECT HAIL MARY

IV Theater
Thursday May 28th

8:00 PM

DIRECTOR: PHIL LORD & CHRISTOPHER MILLER
2026 / 2 HR 36 MIN

Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun, and save Earth. An unexpected friendship may be the key.
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